The Cult
by Space Surfer
Summary: Harper discovers the meaning of family. (This is a really crap summary, I don't know what to put. Please read this story and if you want you can E-mail me a new summary idea)
1. Part One

Disclaimer: Like I always say, I don't own them and they will be returned like new...kinda new...  
  
Authors Notes: I said I wouldn't start any new fic's until the others were finished, but this was jumping round in my head and had to be done. I will finish the other fictions...and this one too, I'm working on them. Anyway, please read and review this story. I hope you enjoy it.   
  
  
  
"Mail call!"  
  
Harper glanced over at his friend on the other side of the command deck, pulling his Hawaiian shirt over a black long sleeved top he asked, "What do we have my purple princess?"  
  
Trance smiled at the engineer and looked through the list. "A few bill's for Beka, some letters for Rev, and... Ooo! A letter for you Harper"  
  
Everyone looked over at the human who shrugged, "Who's writing to me? Everyone I know lives on this ship."  
  
Beka and Trance looked at each other, rolling their eyes and Harper jumped forward to the screen to see the letter. The others respectfully turned to their own mail or jobs while Harper read. When he had finished Beka couldn't hold back and asked, "So who's it from?"   
  
Harper glanced back at her, "Huh? It's nothing, just some junk." He turned to Dylan, "If that's all boss I've got a lota work to do…"   
  
Dylan nodded in consent, watching the engineer half bemused and half curious. At the nod Harper all but bolted from the room heading to his sanctuary of machine shop 17.   
  
Once there Harper asked "Andromeda play the message attached to the letter and engage privacy mode."  
  
"Acknowledged, privacy mode engaged, acting chief engineer Seamus Harper."  
  
Harper turned to face the hologram that came on beside him, his friend was staring back at him though not seeing.   
  
"Jamie?" Harper whispered, surprised.  
  
"Seamus" The message started, Jamie's voice was soft and he grinned "I'm sending you a message from the LSF"   
  
Harper blinked in confusion, the name meaning nothing to him.  
  
"It stands for Lost Soul's Family, it's for people who have had hard lives. I want you to come and check it out. I saw you on a news clip about the Andromeda and I knew you might wanna see this. I hope you come Shay."   
  
The message ended and Harper stared down at the letter displayed on the console screen. The Lost Souls Family? He had never heard of it before, or anything like it for that matter. The Andromeda was a day away from Infinity Atoll and Harper knew he had to go see his friend, even if he didn't stay for the meeting.   
  
Disengaging privacy mode, Harper stepped into the corridor and asked, "Rommie where's Dylan?"  
  
The ships hologram appeared in front of him and stated, "Dylan is currently on his way to his quarters."  
  
"Thanks Rom-doll" Harper called as he moved quickly towards the captains quarters. Catching sight of him Harper fell into step beside Dylan.  
  
"Hey boss!"  
  
"Hello Mr Harper" Dylan returned the greeting  
  
"You don't have you call me that, I'm just Harper"  
  
"Old habits" Dylan said with a smile, "What can I do for you then…Harper"  
  
"Well I was thinking that it's been a while since any of us has had any down time."  
  
"It has." Dylan agreed grimly.  
  
"So" Harper continued, "As we're only a day away from Infinity Atoll, we could take the ship and relax for a few days."  
  
Dylan studied his engineer, "Is there a surfing competition I should know about?"  
  
"Not that I've been told of" Harper said with a grin, "Come on Dylan what do you say, three days of sand and sun. Plus no one to shoot us outta the sky."  
  
The High Guard captain smiled "You have a point. Alright then Mr Harper, I'll tell Beka to lay in a course of Infinity Atoll."   
  
Harper smiled and let Dylan continue to his quarters. He couldn't shake the strange feeling he got when he had been listening to Kamil's message. He wondered if it was because they called him Seamus. Beka and Trance only called him Seamus when he was in trouble for something. Reaching the command deck he was in time to hear Dylan announce to Beka over the comm unit that she was to plot a course to Infinity Atoll. From the pilots chair Beka looked over and spotted Harper walking down to her. Noticing his grin she matched it with one of her own.   
  
"And you wouldn't have anything to do with this would you Harper?" she asked lightly, eyes searching the stars for the slipstream.   
  
"My dear captain," Harper said, "Would I twist a high guard officer to my will like that?"   
  
Beka rolled her eyes not bothering to reply. Instead she stated "Entering slipstream." 


	2. Part Two

Authors Notes: Heres part Two everybody, hope you like it.  
  
  
As the Andromeda landed on Infinity Atoll Harper was almost skipping down to the airlock, surfboard in hand. Even if this lost souls thing turned out to be a complete loss he could still spend the next few days surfing and enjoying the beach.   
  
Beka was waiting, dressed in a bikini and lightweight pants along with Trance who was dressed in the same manner, tail swinging happily behind her.   
  
Harper sighed as he looked at Trance's slim form, her stunning body…he shock his head to focus and grinned at them.   
  
"Greetings my beach babes. Are we ready to go?"   
  
"Not quite" Beka said, "We're waiting for Dylan, Tyr and Rommie"  
  
"What about Rev?" Harper asked, noticing the missing Magog.  
  
"He said he was going to stay and meditate" Trance said  
  
Harper nodded, disappointed and surprising himself. He, Seamus Harper, a mudfoot was best friends with a Magog. If his friends and cousins from Earth could know they'd think he was crazy. However Rev wasn't like any other Magog.   
  
Just then Dylan, Tyr and Rommie came round the corner talking quietly and once Harper saw Rommie his thoughts about Rev and his friendship were forgotten. Having made the AI he had seen her body before but as she came round wearing a silver bikini and short silver shorts the sight took Harper's breath away. The AI didn't notice his expression and stood beside Trance, the three females making comments on each other's clothes. Harper grinned to himself as he stared first at Rommie and then at Trance. Beka noticed his look and poked him in the ribs muttering to him,  
  
"Careful Seamus, you'll be drooling any second now."  
  
Harper scowled at the captain and asked loudly, "So we ready to go now?  
  
The crew all nodded and Harper stepped out of the airlock and into the sunshine of Infinity Atoll. Once on the sandy sidewalk Harper let his grin break through. Being born and raised on a planet he enjoyed being back in the sunlight with the wind and plant life. Behind him Beka looked green, muttering, "I hate planets". Dylan and Rommie were blinking in the sun, having never been to Infinity Atoll as a tourist hot spot.   
  
"So where do we go first?" Dylan asked his crew smiling brightly.   
  
Harper froze slightly. 'We? Uh oh!' "Pardon boss?" he asked instead.  
  
"I said where do we want to go first," Dylan repeated not noticing Harper and Beka wince.   
  
Harper, thinking fast said, "The idea of shore leave is to spend time away from each other."  
  
Dylan raised an eyebrow, not quite convinced so Harper glanced quickly at Beka who added  
  
"We never spent shore leave together on the Maru. You have to spend time apart so you don't go insane."  
  
Dylan sighed "Okay, but we'll meet in the evening for dinner. About Eight o'clock."  
  
Shouts of "Yeah", "Sure" and "You bet ya" reached the captain as the crew scattered. He grinned bemusedly and turned to Rommie,   
  
"Shall we?"   
  
Harper walked down the busy streets heading in the directions he had been given in the letter. A large building Harper hadn't seen before loomed in front of him and a banner read 'LSF In Here'  
  
Harper took a breath, wondering briefly why he felt so nervous. He opened the large door and stood in a huge porch. Leaning his surfboard against the wall and looking around Harper wondered if he should continue through. The doors on the other side of the room opened, two figures stepping forward.   
  
"Seamus, my name is Kamil" he said standing in front of him, "We are glad you could come"  
  
As soon as he finished talking he pulled the engineer into a hug. Surprised Harper automatically hugged back, before he realised and dropped his arms quickly. Kamil didn't seem to notice and the female steeped up to him, her blond hair was also tied back off her face and she grinned.   
  
"Welcome Seamus" she also stepped up to him and hugged him.   
  
Harper grinned this time and enthusiastically hugged back, arms going round her slender form. As they ended the hug the young woman explained.   
  
"My name is Ella, I'm to be your guide around the LSF centre"  
  
"Err…thanks?"  
  
Ella smiled warmly taking his hand, interlocking their fingers.   
  
"Come on I'll show you around."  
  
Leaving his surfboard Harper willingly followed Ella through the doors she and Kamil had come through.   
  
They went through to a grand hall filled with people all in the same clothes that Kamil and Ella were wearing. They sat around in large groups, talking loudly and merging with other groups. Couples were hugging in greeting and Harper couldn't help raise an eyebrow. Most people barely shock hands anymore, even Beka and him hardly made contact.  
  
"This is the main meeting place" Ella said happily "We can all met here and talk to other brothers and sisters, or there are private meeting places through those doors. I would show you them but Kamil's talk will start soon"  
  
Harper nodded, trying to take in the site and Ella's words, his mind half focussed on their still interlocked fingers. Before the engineer could reply he heard his name through the crowd.  
  
"Shay! Seamus is that you?"   
  
Turning Harper came face to face with his old friend.  
  
"Jamie!"  
  
The young man jumped up to Harper, wearing the same shirt and grey trousers. The disarrayed hair Harper always remembered was sticking up as wildly as his own.   
  
Jamie pulled his friend into a hug and Harper hugged back, questions playing across his mind. When they finished and Ella had hugged Jamie in greeting Harper asked,  
  
"How did you get here? We thought you were dead."  
  
Jamie grinned, "I stowed away on a cargo freighter. You?"  
  
"I got a job on a salvage ship" Harper explained briefly, knowing the full story would take too long.  
  
"You got a job?" Jamie asked in mock disbelief  
  
"Engineer"  
  
"Figures"  
  
Harper tried to scowl at his old friend but he couldn't stop his grin. Ella squeezed both their arms excitedly "It's time for the speech"  
  
Jamie smiled, "This should be great."  
  
Ella took Harper's hand again and gently pulled him forward, smiling playfully.  
  
He was led into another room filled with more people, and sea of light blue shirts and grey pants, but a few others dotted about were still in T-shirts and shorts. Kamil stood on top of a small stage and began to address everyone.  
  
"My brothers and sisters…" 


	3. Part Three

Part Three?  
  
Hour's later and Harper filed out with the others, feeling mentally exhausted. For hours he had listened to Kamil speak, listened to the words and felt them warm inside him. He couldn't help but grin, he hadn't felt this good in a long time. Ella and Jamie were grinning beside him as they all walked over to one of the private rooms.   
  
The room was dimly lit and filled with pillows and beanbags. Jamie sank into one of the beanbags and let out a giggle as Ella tripped and pulled Harper down with her. Harper laughed and threw a pillow at Jamie. Ella giggled as the pillow hit home and she snuggled into the beanbag. Harper snuggled beside her and sighed.   
  
"You feel like you've come home, don't you?" Jamie said watching his friend.  
  
Harper blinked "Yeah, it does."   
  
"Welcome to your family Seamus" Ella said.  
  
Harper smiled and listened to Jamie explain what happened to him after he left Earth. Listening to his friend and lying beside Ella in the warm room Harper fell asleep.   
  
  
Harper blinked his eyes open, sunlight streamed through the skylight. Harper looked round, not realising at first where he was. Jamie was asleep in the beanbag opposite him, a pillow resting on his lap. To the engineer's left Ella was still sleeping, her head resting on his chest, her blond hair had slipped out of its tie and had fallen in front of her face. Harper gently brushed it back, watching her sleep, feeling her chest rise and fall. It felt good simply watching her breath in and then breath out. Soon she opened her blue eyes and stared into Harpers.   
  
"Hey" she said with a smile.   
  
"Hey" Harper replied smiling "Wanna stay like this all day?" His free hand stroked her hair.  
  
She snuggled closer to him, tracing the pattern on his T-Shirt with her fingertips. "That would be nice"  
  
"So what do you guys do around here?" Harper asked  
  
"Whatever we want. A few people, higher up, work so we can have some money. Some of us are teachers for the younger children. We take turns to cook, wash up, those general things. Like a family."   
  
"Like a family" Harper echoed, he raised an eyebrow and whispered, "So that doesn't make us brother and sister or anything does it?"   
  
Ella giggled. "Nope, just…friends."  
  
"I like having friends" Harper muttered.   
  
Before Ella could say anything else Jamie groaned from his bed on the beanbag, rolling over and then crashing onto the floor with a thud. Ella and Harper grinned as he sat up.  
  
"Ow!" He muttered, rubbing his head, "What time is it?"   
  
Harper thought for a moment, "I have no idea, what time is it?"   
  
Ella glanced at her wrist, "Only 1548…uh oh"  
  
"Ah crap" Harper muttered, then suddenly remembered something Dylan had said before they went, 'Okay, but we'll meet in the evening for dinner.'  
  
"Ah Crap! Dylan's gonna kill me!" Harper exclaimed jumping to his feet,  
  
"Ow, Seamus what are you doing?" Ella muttered watching him move over to the door.   
  
"I'm sorry Ella, I was meant to met everyone for dinner last night and I'm 19 hours late." Harper hurriedly explained, wondering what he was going to tell Dylan.   
  
"You'll come back though right?" Jamie said   
  
"Of course I will" Harper said opening the door.   
  
Jamie and Ella quickly came forward and hugged him goodbye and Harper hugged back then almost ran back to the porch. His surfboard was still were he had left it, leaning against the wall. The engineer paused for a moment to straighten his clothes, hoping it didn't look too obvious that he had slept in them and opened the door back to the sunny street.   
  
Young children of many different species were running around, playing tag and eating ice cream, frantic mothers and fathers tried to keep up with them and couples strolled along the beach. Harper stopped for a moment, watching the surfers on the waves, wishing he could join them, but instead retraced his path from yesterday and headed back to the Andromeda in her docking station. Excuses for his being late were rushing through his head but as the high guard ship come into sight he realised he still didn't know what he was going to say. He didn't want to say anything about the Lost Souls Family yet, they wouldn't understand. Besides how could he explain that as he sat and listened to Kamil speak and fell asleep listening to Jamie and Ella that it had felt like home?   
  
Harper entered the air lock and as soon as he did so Andromeda's hologram appeared in front of him.   
  
"Where have you been?" she asked, arms crossed in front of her. Harper was surprised she wasn't tapping her foot.   
  
"I…well…ya see…" Harper stammered, trying to think of a convincing lie.   
  
"Save it Harper," she said "Dylan and Beka want to see you on command deck as soon as you got back."   
  
"Aren't they still on shore leave?" Harper asked   
  
"They're waiting for you first." And with that the hologram flickered out.   
  
Harper swallowed and left his surfboard leaning against the wall again and headed up to command. He might have been able to lie to Dylan but Beka knew him to well. He paused outside of the door to command, his mind thinking briefly of Ella. Taking a breath he walked into command. Both Dylan and Beka spun round to see him, not surprised as Rommie had probably told them he was here. Harper tried to give them a grin but wiped it off his face when they scowled.   
  
"Where were you last night Mr Harper?" Dylan asked   
  
Before Harper could speak Beka started "Did you forget about the meal?"   
  
"Well boss, and erm…boss I was really busy and I just…"   
  
"Do you know how long we were looking for you?" Beka said again and Harper winced   
  
"Well I…"   
  
"We got back at 0100 hours, none of us managed to have anything to eat" Dylan said   
  
"We thought you were laying in a gutter bleeding to death somewhere" Beka scowled   
  
"So you better have a good reason."   
  
"Which better not include alcohol and some 'hot chick'" Beka added  
  
They both feel silent and stared at him waiting for an answer.   
  
Harper took a breath "Well, ya see I was surfing and then I went to this bar to have a victory drink, ya know, and I bumped into my friend Jamie from Earth, he had stowed away on a freighter but we all thought he was dead. So we started talking and catching up and he invited me back to his and we talked to like 3 in the morning and I fell asleep and didn't wake up till about half an hour ago."   
  
"You slept for twelve hours?" Dylan asked  
  
"Surfing really takes it out of you." Harper said waiting tensely.  
  
Dylan narrowed his eyes but sighed, "Okay Mr Harper, but contact us next time."  
  
Harper nodded, "Uh huh, I will"   
  
Dylan turned back to a console and Harper let out a breath and slipped out the command deck, walking back down the corridor, happy his lie had worked. The grin faded a second later when a voice called down the corridor.   
  
"Harper wait up"   
  
Harper froze and Beka caught up with him,  
  
"What can I do for you Beka?" Harper asked brightly   
  
Beka scowled "So where were you?"   
  
"I told you, I found an old friend" Harper said defensively, technically it was true. "Come on boss you would never bug me like this when I was late on the Maru."  
  
"You were normally with trance or some other crew member, you and Tol always had the same crazy passion for surfing."   
  
"I know how to look after myself" Harper fought to keep his voice calm. "I'm not a little kid, I survived twenty years on that hell hole of a planet, I think I can manage a couple of nights without you, captain Terrific or anyone else okay?"   
  
"Don't pull that crap with me Harper" Beka said, voice set on what Harper called her 'Captain Mode'.  
  
"I missed a meal, you didn't have to search for me" Harper's head had started to thump in pain, part of him not quite sure how he had wound up arguing with Beka in the corridor.   
  
"Well I hope you don't bump into any more 'old friends' tonight."  
  
"What happens tonight?" Harper asked  
  
"A meal," Beka explained, "Because of the one you screwed up last night."   
  
"I didn't screw up anything" Harper yelled to her retreating back as Beka headed back to the command deck. "Damn spacer"  
  
The engineer took a breath and tried to let himself relax. Only one place was calling him for that. The LSF centre.   
  
The Andromeda flickered into existence beside him again, "Do you want anything to eat? My sensors say it's been a while since you had anything."  
  
"No thanks," Harper muttered, walking again to the airlock, through Andromeda's image. "I'm so outta here."   
  
  
Beka stopped once she had turned the corner, gritting her teeth and punched the wall, hard. She let herself punch over and over again, ignoring the feeling of her knuckles cracking. The more she punched Beka forgot where she was, hitting harder and harder.  
  
"Stupid mudfoot. Doesn't he get it?"   
  
Rommie's hologram appeared and stared at Beka, coughing lightly. Beka either didn't notice or ignored her so Rommie tried louder.   
  
"Beka are you alright?"   
  
She finally seemed to notice and spun round, arms up and ready to hit. She froze when she saw the hologram.   
  
"Oh, hi Andromeda, I'm fine" she said quickly.  
  
"Then can I ask why you are denting me?"  
  
Beka sighed and lent against the wall, running her fingers through her hair.  
  
"It's that freakingly annoying little pipsqueak"  
  
"Ah Harper!" Andromeda summarised.   
  
"He just doesn't get it. I'm trying to show Dylan he can trust us and what does that cocky little runt goddamn do?"   
  
Andromeda smiled sypathically. "Maybe he was telling the truth. Maybe he met up with an old friend?"  
Beka sighed, "Maybe but I know him. There' something he's not telling me."   
  
Rommie closed her eyes for a second; "Well he's left the ship now. He even left his surfboard behind."  
  
"It's not that I don't trust him, I just don't want anything to happen to the little mudfoot." 


End file.
